35 Ideas for Easy Thanksgiving Decorating

As family or guests arrive for Thanksgiving, have them write what they are thankful for on a paper leaf and pin it up. This frame was constructed using a linen-covered foam core and an old frame. Cut paper leaves from old books or scrapbook paper in different fall shades.

Use repurposed candleholders for easy fall displays of small pumpkins and gourds. Look for inexpensive candleholders in varying heights at a garage sale or antiques store, then spray-paint black for a unified look.

The focal point of this harvest-inspired mantel is a collection of inexpensive melamine plates attached to the wall with easy-to-use adhesive disc hangers. Casually arrange an assortment of pumpkins and gourds between two bundles of dried wheat on the mantel. Include a blackboard or two where you can write an inspirational quote or even your Thanksgiving menu! Click below for more photos of this display.

This thankful turkey can be a decoration all month long or constructed just before your Thanksgiving dinner. To create this project, begin with a large pinecone. Cut feather shapes from scrapbook paper, crease them in half lengthwise and fringe the edges with scissors. Construct the turkey's head by cutting out an oval and a circle and adding googly eyes, a beak and a wattle. Have family or guests write what they're thankful for on the feathers and tuck feathers into pinecone.

Invite family or guests to write messages of thanks on paper ornaments. Tie ornaments to tree branches anchored in sand in a pitcher. They make a memorable keepsake if guests sign and date their ornament.

Place these pretty votives on your Thanksgiving dining table, mantel or coffee table. Just gather unshelled nuts and layer in a glass cup around a small candle. Save a few nuts to scatter near your display.

For a casual seasonal look, place an eclectic mix of deep-tone and long-lasting plants in a galvanized bucket or vintage-style vessel. We used dark red carnations, juniper branches, plum-colored calla lilies and purple millet ornamental grass in this pretty fall display.

Make a pretty centerpiece or mantel decoration by layering seasonal materials in clear glass cylinder vases. We started with corn kernels, then added burgundy cockscomb celosia, orange bittersweet, pale green dried hops and brown oak leaves. Top with a rust-color pillar candle. Change candles if the flame gets close to the dried material, or use a battery-powered candle for safety.

This table arrangement works perfectly for a quick and easy Thanksgiving decoration. Arrange rocks and bits of moss around small candles in tiny flowerpots. Switch in tiny ornaments and sprigs of evergreen to keep it on your table into December!

Add Thanksgiving flavor to a tabletop or mantel with cylinder vases filled with nuts and flowers. Roll coordinating scrapbook paper into decorative cuffs that slip inside the vase. Vary the look by substituting wheat, branches or snips of any pretty leafy plant for the flowers.

A coat of paint transforms acorns into tiny ornaments. Hang them from a branch with twine loops glued to the caps. The long serving tray, filled with more acorns and a bowl, visually balances the display. Adjust the colors of the paint to coordinate with your table linens.

Create a beautiful table display that shows off the bounty of the season. Cylindrical vases filled with birdseed provide a sturdy base for branches from which small pumpkins dangle on bits of twine. Between the vases, hollowed-out gourds hold candles as well as berries. Finish the look by arranging berries, pinecones, gourds, branches and moss around the vases.

Fashion flowers from corn husks for seasonal napkin rings. To create the flower, cut a freehand spiral from a soaked corn husk so it has at least four rings. Starting from the outside, roll up the spiral. This will form a rose shape. Let dry; the rose should hold its shape loosely. Secure with gel glue. Glue a circle to the base. For the ring, cut out a rectangle and fold to form a loop. Hot-glue ends. Glue flower to the top, and you’re ready!

Holidays are the perfect time to teach youngsters about their heritage. Make it an activity by cutting out copies of vintage baby photos and arranging them on the wall in a "family tree." Family members can guess who's who.

This pinecone tree is worth showing off until winter is past. Stand branches in a clear cylindrical vase, adding small pinecones and glass or plastic balls filled with greenery to support the branches. Hang small pinecones and tiny snowflake ornaments from the branches.

Make the holiday meal more meaningful by giving each guest a personal note of appreciation. Present the notes in envelopes as place cards. Or turn them into keepsakes: Print each message on colorful paper and wrap it around a candleholder. (But don't leave lit candles unattended.)

This super-easy centerpiece showcases the rustic, natural texture of wine corks inside a footed clear-glass candleholder. For more fall color, add leaves or berries among the corks. Make sure any flammable materials are protected from the candle, or use a battery-powered candle for safety.

For quick and easy homemade place settings, start with brown craft paper and create space for each guest to write a list of things they're thankful for. The lists will make great dinner conversation, too!

Bring autumn to your table or mantel by showing off gourds in cylindrical vases. Use containers of different sizes, and stack varying numbers of gourds. Add a pretty curving touch with a length of fresh pumpkin vine or another fresh or artificial vine.

Rummage through your old china—or find vintage mismatched pieces at a garage sale— to create this pretty tiered display. Use a large china plate as the base, then stack teacups and smaller plates. Add fresh or artificial orange flowers on each level, and place a small amount of foliage in the top teacup.

Dress up wood candleholders with roses and greenery. Soak florists foam until saturated, then tape to the top of candleholders. Cover with roses and hypericum. Keep the arrangement on a towel until the foam no longer drips.

Red silk leaves give a color pop to this fall wreath. Start with a premade twig wreath. Fluff husks and arrange ears around the center of the wreath (mini ears work best). Attach corn with wire or hot glue, then add silk leaves with a dab of glue.